Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1887-11-17
INTERESTING LETTER FROM THE
INDIAN TERRITORY.
EDITOR FREE PREss

whole life has been spent in the Indian
Territory came into so much information
that was entirely new to me that made
some notes, thinking l would write them
out for your paper in the hope that the
readers of THE FREE PRESS may find them
as novel and interesting as DO When
the five principal nations, the CheFokees,
Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws and Semi
noles, with some smaller tribes or parts Of
tribes, agreed through their chief men TO
sell their lands in Georgia and Florida and
migrate TO the Territory they were in no
wise damaged by the exchange but the love
Of country, a strong in the Indian as the
Switzer, caused them much distress, and
they vented their wrath on the parties who
were supposed to be mainly instrumental
in the sale. OF these there were two iami-
lies of the Chcrokeos, the Ridges aud the
Rosses. Both are believed G. have received
4 reward for their services IN cfecting
peaceful solution OF the Indian problem. but
after their settlement the Ross party, find
! ing the anger of the tribes so gre tly arous-
ed, threw all the 0dum Of ,he move upon
the Ridges, and propi,iated the people by
protesting attachment % their side OF the
question. The result Of this was that the
ROSES rose rapidly Ia favor and power,
While the Ridges were murdered almost TO
d man. together with many Others who sided
with them. II was cor q time almost q
reign OF terror The tribes after they set
lied upon their reservations adopted a form
ol government agreeing in many points with
hat OF the States. The Cherokees have
their CHIEF, elected every - wears, their
Senate and Council. They also have their
Circuit, District and supreme Courts From
the last there is no appeal-tie General
| Government taking no part in that of the
| Territory, excepting 10 cases where q white
| man is involved. IN which ease the trial is
before the [. $. District Court he.d 80 TT.
| Smith, Arkan-as-the largest judicial dis
tric. in the Union, embracing the most OF
the Indian Territory, part OF New Mexico,
and the larger part OF the State Of Arkan-
,as The CholOkees on the marriage of 4
white man with woman of their tIibc, adj
init him TO all the rights aud privileges OF
the nation, requiring OF him m oath that he
will not avail himself OF the protection of
| the t. ; Court; but the Court in turn does
not regard this oath. aud in the event of the
| murder of, or by q white man the trial is
conducted before the L. :. authorities at
| Fort The Greeks have their houses Of
| Kings and Warriors; the ChOc;aws Senate
and Lower House, &c. Each tribe has It's
own chief city, and ralcquah is simply that
Of The Cher0kets, not Oi the whole FIVE ma
lions as represented in some OF our Gcogra-
| Dhes. The Creeks have Ocmulgce; the
| Choctaws, Tu-ka-Homa the Clickasaws,
| rishamingO; the Seminole Nar.sa sak-wa.
| These are spoken OF ~ the iiye civilized na-
ions They are very unlike IN character,
| and in the advancement they have made
| toward civilization the Cher0kccs are
much more entcrprisng, and Weather han
the other four. There Is an Agent OF the
| L. :. Government residing in each nation
TO see that the treaties are kept, audi there
is any violation be has tbe power to call IN
troops 10 his assistance. some twelve years
| ago there was q contest in the Creek nation
concerning the election of Chief. Chec0h
received the larger vote, but Lochie-liaTgo,
his rival. claimed the election because be
had the greater number Of towns on his side
there being an old custom among them
that every man in town was counted as
voting in the way the town chief did, even
# he cast no vote atal. The two parties
raised 500 men each aud were ready for war
-Checoh in Ocm.lgee, L0chie-H Harg0 en-
camped Just outside. At this time the Agent
intcrlered, ordered the latter 90 give way,
and when he refused gave him just one day
m which 20 retire. lie did so. The hye
nations are pronounced civilized By the L.
;. Government. and tbe management Of
heir money affair. put into their own bands.
The O-ages and SOME others are still con
.idered the ward of the Government, which
ippnprates the interest Of the money due
to them for their lands 10 founding and
maintaining schools through their territory.
one at Pawpusky j. paid for and provided
with teachers by the Government our Of
be funds due to them This interest debt
10 the Cherokees amounts % about $4,000
4er year. They had q very 6no Seminary
building few miles from Talequah, which
wa, literally supported Dy tIc tribal govern
ment. lit was burned down last March and
hey are arranging % build again in the
own also public schools in The different
districts. The Creek. adopted the plan OF
furnishing n certain yearly sum 70 institu-
ions controlled by different religious de-
} nomination. leaving them 10 furnish teach
RS and additional funds If any were needed.
. I'D sAfl lAllyi tit tinAiitl rtuvl0 oif thi -
nished with teachers appointed after attenI-
J uce on the Teachers Institute and cXami-
, nation. Just rs they are az homc-0nly with
them the grade Of the certificate determines
where the applicant shall teach. Those get
ing a lower grade arc sent away from the
towns into the wilder portions Of the tenito-
~. Formerly IL was allowed for every IN
s dian to take up as much land as be could
In any way enclose. and even around here
I zee lots with q stake here and there made
70 do duty ~ u fence, but the entertainments
! Of the white men became ~ alarming that
the Choctaws and Chickasaws made what
they called The One Farm Law" b. which
= each man could only own one farm. but II
. did not matter how large that might be-
The Cherokee allow him ~ much a. he can
70 cultivate, bat dictate the amount be may
p enclose as pasture land. To avoid bOnDda-
~ disputes every newcomer must put his
line One-fourth Of mile from biz neigh
3 bor's fence. There is a compact between
] the tribes a kind Of legendary affair, that
has never been written, and about which
they are not very communicative, otherwise
:. ihey are as completely distinct from each
other as Main from Texas.
The fiction in the Christmas number ol
b .ScriJaa's Mqgasiae will show remarkable
+ variety and strength All the stories ere